All Washed Up: How dirty is your laundry?

It’s Not All Sheets and Giggles

If you tell me that you like laundry day, I’d tell you you’re lying. As someone who doesn’t have laundry machines in her apartment, and must go 15 minutes to a laundromat, wash day is a nightmare. This is where my love-hate relationship for clothes comes in. You must treat them like children, care for them properly and they will (hopefully) love you back. As much as a hassle they are, we must continue to care for them. Fortunately, unlike kids, clothes do come with a care guide even if all instructions aren’t written on the labels. It is left up to us to iron out garment issues that manufacturers don’t write down. As fashion enthusiasts, it is important to know the science behind fabrics to better the welfare of current clothes and future purchase decisions. Science is not a fun word, fashion is, and we must pull out our chic lab coats to preserve our beloved closet staples. One of the most annoying things about upholding these treasured items is gracelessly staining them by our own or others accord. Removing stains is number two on my nauseating clothing hassles list, there is no one solution to treat all stains. Imagine if it was that simple. Some basic guidelines to follow, ones you have probably already heard, are to act quickly, blot not rub, and to repeat the process as many times as needed. I personally struggle with the last point; patience is not my forte. There are some additional techniques, ones you may not have heard, to consider when becoming a stain removal genius.

Stain, Stain Go Away

1. Turn your garment inside out. A stain should always be treated from the underside, allow the spot to push off the fabric onto a paper towel.
2. Never mix stain removal products. The more is not always the merrier, don’t go crazy adding multiple products to a garment at once.
3. Don’t let clothes dry once the process has started. If the stain is still there after treating it once, don’t dry the garment before repeating the process again. Many are unintentionally guilty of this, remember a hot dryer will heat set the stain.
4. Dry clean fabrics belong to a dry cleaner. It may be a pain to do this but it’s better than botching it yourself. Go to the dry cleaner knowing what was spilled on the garment, when it happened, and the garment’s fiber content.
5. Have a tool kit. Think of it as a first aid kit for clothes, it’s ideal to avoid hospital trips when possible. Keep an immediate stain removal kit that includes vinegar/water (50/50), bleach alternative (Oxyclean or sodium percarbonate), rubbing alcohol (70 percent), laundry soap bar, laundry brush, and make-up remover pads.

Listen to the Experts, Not Just Your Mom

Now I’m just a student who took one textile class, yet remembering these is a step towards stain removal mastery. Take note that it’s not just about the products you use but understanding the stain itself. It is crucial to know the three basic categories of stains for proper treatment: oily, organic, and inorganic with most stains being a combination of the two. If you really want to become an expert, check out Patric Richardson a.k.a. the Laundry Guy. He provides great insight on garments of all shapes, colours, and forms to sort the wide range of your laundry needs. It’s okay to be messy if you know how to clean up after yourself. The sauce you dropped on your pants will be long forgotten.